What Keeps Me Going
by JillianForDays
Summary: Yang awaits the return of her precious kitten, clinging desperately to her sanity and well being as best as she can until the huntress returns from her mission. [Bumblebee One-Shot]


All was quiet in the apartment as Yang laid on the bed, eyes shut and knees tight to her chest. Surely she wouldn't be gone for that long right? Her hands scrambled to the bedside table where her phone sat and she pulled it in quickly, lilac eyes desperate to see a message from the distant lover. Nothing.

Yang let out a brief sigh before she placed the cell dejectedly beside her, eyes closing once again. It felt like centuries without the warm Faunus girl beside her: Her long wavy black hair, her gentle amber eyes, and her soothing voice. It felt like the universe was being ripped from her but there was nothing she could do at this point. Blake had to go.

Ozpin had been placing Blake on several huntress missions infiltrating White Fang operations in hopes that it would not only null her need to defeat her old cult-like group, but that it would in turn dispel any further outbreaks of inequality rebellion. Surely it was working, as the problem was being dealt with faster than ever before, but it didn't replace the yearning in the blonde's heart that came with each mission brief.

Some nights were okay, where Yang could fall asleep just fine and await the morning text she would no doubt receive from Blake. Other nights, like tonight, were restless. They were struggles to achieve deep sleep and her muscular body tossed and turned with distress. On any occasion like this, soft singing would break out and Yang would drift to sleep. The Faunus' appealing voice would echo in the small room, making every ounce of Yang's body drowsy and weak. The angelic hums and whispers of words, timed perfectly in rhythm to whatever song she was singing, made sleep come easy. Dreams would be clouded by Blake on those nights; that was never a bad thing.

It was times like these Yang wished she secretly recorded Blake's singing. She missed the comfort and the safety that the other girl brought and really it was only a matter of time before Yang lost the ability to sleep. Anxiously she waited, hand over the phone, waiting for it to go off, praying that it would go off.

Funny thing is, it didn't that night.

Yang could remember back to the nights where Blake was there, where she sat up in bed and would sing her heart out in hopes that Yang could rest easy. It was most stressful on days where Yang would return home, half beaten and bloody from Grimm hunts or embassy raids. Songs were usually soft and high pitched, love songs and romantic junk that Yang always had loved to hear. Three days ago, when Blake left for this op mission, the mood changed a bit. It wasn't as upbeat and cheerful, it was a bit more… glum.

It was different. It wasn't by any means bad different, as the voice soothed her uncontrollably, regardless of the words that spilled out. However it made Yang wonder, why that song?

Tears brimmed at newly awake eyes as Yang broke from her dream, disappointed that the fuzzy singing she barely remembered as is was gone. She longed for Blake's voice again, for the sweet tune and the sweet love it brought her. She longed for the energy to fill her soul as she was washed in gentle music and comfort.

The days dragged on, countless sleepless nights standing in her way of even getting to dream about her love. She had received updates from Ozpin claiming of various success but absolutely nothing from her kitten, and it struck worry in her. What was going on? Was she okay? Regardless, Yang would have to wait until she got word from Blake herself before she'd believe anything.

Marks on the calendar represented days on the mission, and so far it was almost the whole month that was covered in filthy red slash marks. It was eating her away, her desperation for conversation gnawed at the pit of Yang's stomach and there was nothing she could do. Blake hadn't attempted contact in a week and it didn't help that Ozpin stopped with the updates four days back. Ruby and Weiss had been assigned a Grimm hunt which meant she would be the only member of RWBY not out on a mission. The pair promised to keep in touch but if it was anything like Blake's promise, she wouldn't hear from them in a while.

Yang slid a tally mark down onto the white board as she took the cup of coffee into her hands, sighing at the high number: twenty six. It had been twenty six days without Blake. When would the torture end? Yang was sluggish, she was sick and lonely and breaking at the seams but it'd be okay, because Blake would return as always. She had hope. Not that she needed hope, right?

It was on day thirty, one month after Blake left, when Yang's phone buzzed in the night. Her senses were high and the vibrations on the bed woke her from stressed sleep. It was an audio message from "Kitten".

"Boy have things been rough here blondie." The first sentence was slightly chuckled, but her breaths was short and staggered. "I'm okay though, no wounds and no broken bones… yet. I just feel bad about the lack of conversation. I have had trouble between jobs finding time to contact you, and for that my love, I'm sorry. I hope you've been well. I hope you've been sleeping at night and I hope that this message will make up for all of these apologies. I have a present for you. It'll probably be the next message you get from me so, goodnight Yang."

The sound of her voice trailed off before a brief clicking noise ended the recording. The message that followed that one happened to be audio as well, and just seeing the little symbol excited the half asleep girl.

"_I wish I could do better by you 'cause that's what you deserve. You sacrifice so much of your life in order for this to work. While I'm off chasing my own dreams, sailing around the world, please now that I'm yours to keep, my beautiful girl."_

It was that song, that song that she sung her before she left. With the voice cracks at all the familiar parts and the richly held notes caused Yang's heart to swell and her hands to shake, eyes squinting up from joy. She could never do better by the blonde. This is what she was waiting for.

"_When you cry a piece of my heart dies, knowing that I may have been the cause. If you were to leave, fulfill someone else's dreams, I think I might totally be lost. You don't ask for no diamond rings, no delicate string of pearls. That's why I wrote this song to sing, my beautiful girl."_

Yang hummed along to the meaningful verses, hands gripping the phone so tightly it was sure to crack. If she had to wait another month to hear her darling sing as beautifully and as strongly as she did here, a month would be worth it all.

"_One, two, one two three four. I wish I could do better by you 'cause it's what you deserve. You sacrifice so much of your life in order for this to work. While I'm off chasing my own dreams, sailing around the world, please know that I'm yours to keep, my beautiful girl."_

"_And when you cry a piece of my heart dies, knowing that I may have been the cause. If you were to leave and fulfill someone else's dreams, I think I might totally be lost. But you don't ask for no diamond rings, no delicate string of pearls. That's why I wrote this song to sing, my beautiful girl."_

Along with the stream of oh's to follow, Yang shed her tears. The volume, the notes, everything that she has missed was in her hands right now and nothing could be better. Slowly, she echoed her girlfriend's last verse.

"_But you don't ask for no diamond rings, diamond rings. No delicate string of pearls, string of pearls. That's why I wrote this song to sing, my beautiful girl."_

The phone was sent down as eyes glanced at the clock: three in the morning. With blood flowing swiftly and a grin plastered to her face, she could finally fall asleep with peace.

That song played over and over each night, comforting each cell in Yang's body. It wasn't so bad being alone now, she didn't feel so alone. It wasn't until a few more days passed until Yang finally got the call that she had been looking forward to.

Her phone's screen lit up brightly, vibrating against the old wooden desk Yang was sat at. She was there, mindlessly scribbling down sketches of little animals and Grimm just to keep her mind off of things. Of course her gaze flicked to the piece of technology as it went off and a desperate hand scrambled to pick up the incoming call. "Blake!"

"I'm so happy I got you." Those words were the first thing Blake breathed out, the pent up breath most likely out of worry that she wouldn't return the call. "I miss you a lot, Yang."

There was lots of crying. Mostly from Yang's side of the line, but there was lots of crying nonetheless. "I miss you so so much." She would sob, stomach muscles shaking and tightening as they attempted to keep up with the furious cries. "I miss you and your face and your voice and your everything."

"I know dear, I know." Her voice was hushed and gentle, like a soft summer breeze as it whisked away the hot air. It was like the first sign of the sun, the bright rays peeking out from behind the clouds after months and months of storm. It was everything she had wanted, and possibly more. "I'm coming home. You need not worry any longer, alright?"

Yang thanked Blake profusely after that, before telling her how much she awaited the "I'm coming home" call. Blake however had to leave rather quickly after that, the ship moving into a dead zone. "I'll see you tonight, okay? Don't stay up and wait for me though, you need your rest. You sound exhausted."

It was true that Yang was exhausted, these past five weeks or so Yang had trouble sleeping at all; she was lucky if she managed to get more than three hours. It wasn't until the recording of her singing did Yang finally get a full night's sleep. Maybe she would have been fine if she got it sooner. Beside the case, Blake would be home tonight and Yang could not contain her excitement.

The clock read eleven thirty when Blake made her way in, backpack slung over one shoulder and hair in a tangled mess. She trudged into the bedroom silently, pulling her weak body closer and closer to Yang. The blonde was fast asleep, wrapped up in the covers, with her phone looping the sound of the Faunus' singing. Blake couldn't help but smile before dropping her things and making her way to the bathroom.

Yang awoke to the sound of the shower shutting off. Bruised and calloused hands rubbed at her eyes warily before she made the effort to sit up, curiousity pulling at her. The bathroom door creaked open and the tall girl strode out, the white towel wrapped around her thin body. Eyes went wide when both locked eyes and smiles widened, Yang's arms flying open and hugging Blake tightly as she made her way to the bed to fit herself in strong arms.

Giggles filled the silence soon after and Yang cupped Blake's face in her hands, kissing her slowly. It wasn't powerful, or in any way strong, instead it was sweet and gave the Faunus exactly what Yang had been feeling this entire time span. The kiss actually hurt a little, with how much emotion flood through it. Or at least, it felt like it hurt to Blake.

"C-can you sing for me?"

"Anything for you my love."

So it was only a matter of time before Blake got into her pajamas and slung her guitar over her, sitting herself on the edge of the bed beside Yang. "I hope you don't mind that it'll be acoustic, since Ren still has my electric."

"I don't mind one bit. Never."

"_I don't want this moment to ever end. Where everything's nothing, without you. I'll wait here forever, just to, to see you smile. 'Cause it's true, I am nothing without you. Through it all, I've made my mistakes, I stumble and fall but I mean these words."_

"_I want you to know, with everything I won't let this go. These words are my heart and soul. I'll hold onto this moment you know, as I bleed my heart out to show, and I won't let go."_

"_Thoughts read unspoken, forever in vow. And pieces of memories fall to the ground. I know what I didn't have so, I won't let this go. Cause it's true, I am nothing without you. All the streets where I walked along with nowhere to go have come to an end."_

"_I want you to know, with everything I won't let this go. These words are my heart and soul. I'll hold onto this moment you know , as I bleed my heart out to show, and I won't let go."_

"_In front of your eyes, it falls from the skies, when you don't know what you're looking to find. In front of your eyes, it falls from the skies, when you just never know what you will find. I don't want this moment, to ever end, where everything's nothing, without you."_

"_I want you to know, with everything I won't let this go. These words are my heart and soul. I'll hold onto this moment you know, as I bleed my heart out to show, and I won't let go."_

Voices meld together as Yang joined in for the last verse, her words slightly slurred from sleepiness. _"I want you to know, with everything I won't let this go. These words are my heart and soul. I'll hold onto this moment you know, as I bleed my heart out to show, and I won't let go."_

Before Blake could set down her guitar, Yang was drifting back to sleep. After returning it to the case and snuggling back in bed, she felt a familiar pair of arms tie around her waist and a familiar set of lips kiss the back of her neck gently. "I love you."

"I love you too, Yang."

"Welcome home."

It was funny how peacefully Yang slept that night, arms locked around her treasure so tightly that she was sure she could never leave again. When the next mission rolled around, it wouldn't be so painful. As long as she had Blake's voice at the ready, she knew she could survive.

* * *

**First song is by City and Colour - The Girl.**

**The second is by Sum 41 - With Me.**

**Special thanks to my friend Phil aka Pulping (**id: 6255177**) so you should check him out and his stories!**


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